As I walked with my friend,  I began to develop a love and appreciation for quilting I’d never known previously — actually, as each day passed, I became more and more intrigued by quilters themselves.  Quilting is not just the stitching of complimentary fabrics and pieces — it’s much more than that.

It seemed that the sheer anticipation alone of spending time in a quilt shoppe seemed to propel my friend and me to walk further and faster — her love for the craft was infectious. And I’m the grateful recipient of her understanding.

Imagine the shocked amazement of the ladies in the quilt shoppe when they discovered that not only were we from out of town with their shoppe as one of our primary destinations, but that we’d also just walked literally ten miles to get there!  Now, mind you, we didn’t originally set out knowing that it would be ten miles or that it would take us hours and would include traversing  through questionable or shady neighbourhoods.

Our husband’s were working on a job in a distant state and we were invited to come along for the week.  It would be one of the most delightful weeks we’ve ever spent anywhere — and for reasons I couldn’t have ever imagined.   Each day we’d set out on an adventure to find a quilt shoppe… my friend had a list of shoppes to visit. Along the way we came to several points — street names with which we were familiar, having seen them on “Mapquest” earlier in the morning in our hotel room.

Though we weren’t in the hotel room ninety seconds before I flushed my cellphone down the toilet, the rest of the trip was nothing but delightful.  I even began to enjoy the gentle ribbing I’d get from time to time — both from our friends, my own self and from some of the hotel employees who didn’t fail to greet me with a snicker… at first, with comments or questions such as,  Are you the one who flushed the cellphone down the toilet?!?  Later in the week some would greet me with a chuckle… and some comment that had to do with ringing pipes or someone leaving me an indistinguishable gurgling message.

But the most endearing things to me now are the reflections, instructions and memories I have from that week in Wichita.  Having never been to Kansas before, I had a great deal to learn about the land, the people and the notoriety of Wichita.  To that point, I only had an inkling of the depth and breadth of the aerospace industry there — and that, only because of one of the Northwest’s biggest employers: the Boeing Company.   Some years back, the Boeing Company decided to move part of its manufacturing operation to Wichita.  Other than that, I knew very little of the vast number of companies based there.

But even with all that and all that our husbands were doing there, my friend and I weren’t all that phased by the local economy or industry.  It was quilts — or quilt shoppes, rather, that we were interested in.   I’m not a quilter.  I don’t know quilts, I don’t know fabrics and I don’t know many quilters even.  But I do have an appreciation for sewing, crafting, creativity and now, for quilts.

My friend seemed to move effortlessly through the different areas in each quilt shoppe — she knew the names of the fabrics, the designer’s names, the types of quilts and techniques.  She easily connected with the shopkeepers and customers… and that’s when that revelation hit me regarding the “sisterhood” of quilters.  There seemed to be no competition — only praise for accomplishments and fabric choices and piecing.  In fact, in each shoppe we visited, there were groups of women gathered around a table working on quilts — individual quilts, group project quilts or assembling fabrics to place in kits for future quilts.

I was humbled and amazed… actually, I guess I might’ve even been envious at the fellowship they were obviously experiencing.  My friend, taking my arm, would continually guide me to another area to see some more patterns, more fabrics, different styles of quilts.  All the while I enjoyed our conversations and felt as though I had a walking wealth of information — my instructor and friend — as I made my way through the aisles touching bolt after bolt of fabric with deep appreciation for the groupings of patterns, textures and hues — my friend’s obvious love for whole process and product of quilting made me fall in love with them, too.

♥ May you always be blessed.

Country Cupboard Quilt Design Blocks:

• The Churn Dash quilt block is a traditional design that hearkens back to days on the farm and the pleasure of some of the old domestic chores.

• The Windblown Puzzle quilt block has a versatile kinetic design like a colorful, spinning pinwheel.

• The Grandma’s Bowls quilt block will remind you of learning to cook from the resourceful women in your family.

• The Chimneys and Cornerstones quilt block is an enhanced traditional pattern with an attractive architectural look to it.

• The Garden of Eden quilt block looks like a little piece of paradise, with an abstract cross and four diamonds.

• The Heart Can quilt block portrays freshly picked flowers in an old coffeepot. Picture it sitting on your windowsill.

• The Apple Pie quilt block is so appetizing it actually looks like it would smell good. It’s perfect for a country- or kitchen-themed design.

• The Honey Pot quilt block looks good enough to attract bees, with its simple, bold design.

• The Rooster quilt block portrays a puffed up, proud rooster full of personality. He’ll add attitude to your design.

• The Hourglass quilt block has a lovely, intricate design of triangles and squares that creates a sense of movement and depth.

• The Twelve Triangles quilt block has an attractive geometrical design of triangles and squares.

• The City Streets quilt block has an urban feeling with its intricate design of perpendicular, intersecting rectangles.

• The Apple Cider quilt block has a simple, attractive design showing a big jug of cider next to a freshly picked apple.

• The Teapot quilt block sings of kitchen coziness and warmth with its simple, traditional design.

• The Cherry Basket quilt block is charming and refreshing and will make you long for summer days outside under the trees.

• The Attic Window quilt block shows a big, curvy heart surrounded by a pattern of triangles and squares.

• The Double Heart quilt block is just what it sounds like — two beautiful hearts making a romantic pattern.

• The Watermelon quilt block looks good enough to eat, showing a slice of watermelon framed with an attractive border.

• The Handweave quilt block is suggestive of country artisan crafts such as caning and textile weaving.

• The Home Sweet Home quilt block has a quilted frame around the old saying, and is adorned with two pretty hearts.

So, in an act of worship — of love, in an act of remorseful obedience, he set out to build an alter — an alter of offering: repentance, adoration, peace.  His recognition of self and His recognition of God compelled him to fall before the Living God in repentance and adoration.   It is only when we see ourselves as we are — and see God — that He is just in His dealings, that He is just in His chastening and He is the epitome of  love and mercy.  We can come to such a conclusion when we have a right view of Him and a right view of ourselves — for, surely, He has not dealt with us according to our sin or our past deeds — even according to our feeble works of “righteousness.”  He has dealt with us mercifully and graciously.  For this, we can take the cup of Salvation and say: Thank You.  Thank You, Thank you, LORD — for You alone have saved me, not given me as I have deserved but according to your mercy, You have saved me.  Thank You.

“Return at my reproof; behold,
I will pour out my spirit unto you,
I will make known my words unto you.”
–Proverbs 1.23

And isn’t this what we want so desperately — the Spirit of the Lord and His words?   We reject reproofs and we reject chastening — but it is the mercy of the LORD to reprove us, to chasten us.

We can learn a great deal from Kind David — there he erred, there he acted foolishly (admitting this himself, 21.8) and, in addition, he would seemingly lose a great deal.  In his zeal, he sought to construct an alter for the LORD as a burnt offering, as a peace offering.  But for his sin, he would not be the man to build the house of the LORD.  This would seem such a heavy burden to bear — but, again, we do see the mercy of the LORD: for He gave David the heart and mind to gather the materials his son, Solomon, would need for the construction of the house.  How merciful of the LORD!

I believe the great blessing of this whole event was was not simply God’s mercy on David, but God’s great mercy on Solomon — according to God’s great plan for blessing Solomon’s life with peace and quietness in Israel all his days.  It is from such Scriptures that we can glean that God does much more in and through the trials and tragedies we face than we could ever begin to ask or imagine.  We have much to glean from what David learned and from how he blessed and admonished his son, Solomon.   I believe we’ve been given a glimpse of the potential each life — a glimpse of how God might use us or our children, how He might redeem our failures and how He might work for our good and His glory.

Let us glean from the Word, let us be mothers who seek the Lord, mothers who don’t faint in the day of adversity or fail to carry out the great calling on our lives.   Let us glean from this and be mothers who seek His will for our children.  Consider and glean from the many blessings in what David said to his son, Solomon.

11  Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.
12  Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.
13  Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.
19  Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God…”  1Chronicles 22.11-13, 19

What prayers we can glean from this portion.   I’m ever more thankful that the Lord has given His living, timely, instructive Word.  I don’t know what I would do as a mother without the ever present Hand and witness of the Lord, without His Word, without His Holy Spirit or without the gift of Faith.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2Timothy 3.16

May you always be blessed. ♥

If you’ve been a mom for any length of time and you’ve spent time in and about homeschooling circles, Bible studies, workshops, conventions, courtship talks, retreats, blogs in the last 3 years or so… etc., etc., you’ve no doubt heard, or been part of, conversations that left you with a case of comparatitus.  All those Titus2 groups… you may lament and despair.   Comparatitus happens — no matter your age, no matter your income, no matter your experience and, really, no matter your skills and abilities.  Comparatitus happens.

Some time back, a group of sisters were gathered and there was some back and forth lamenting the various skills and abilities one or another lacked.   The conversations meandered into areas of homemaking… babies… schooling… child-training.  I noticed one of the women not saying all that much — but her eyes conveyed a tender message and her tears, despair.  I observed that day and understood from that moment something I’ve never forgotten and that is when a group of sisters is sharing, there is (among *many* +/- things) a great potential comparing –  potential for discontent and for envy.  Comparatitus.  O, how we must face this and determine to nip it in the bud.

When we stand next to and compare ourselves with anyone we’ll likely fall into one of two categories and, perhaps, a third will follow.  We’ll either feel inept, inferior and sorely lacking whatever it is we think she has (self-pity), or we’ll feel superior, better-than, or self-confident (pride).  A third category we might fall into might take on many forms — but will stem from what I’m calling Compartitus.   We compare ourselves to a Titus woman = comparatitus.  We might say, O, I don’t do thus and such, I never accomplish this or that, I’m not able to do thus, I don’t have these or those, I don’t have x number of children, I have x number of children, since I don’t have x number of children I must not be_____, since she has x number of children, she must be________.

The conversations (mental or actual) may continue on… I wish I could have_____, then I’d be able to______, but since my______ doesn’t or won’t______, I can never be______or have______.  Like you.

Comparatitus can then get pretty heavy and… watch out now…

O, she thinks she’s so______, I mean, just look at what she_____. She always ____. I’ll never be as____ or ____.  I mean, because she____ and I’ve never  had the_____ and I cannot____ like she does.  And, besides, I only have____  ____, so I________, unlike her, because she has_______ and she always_____  and________. So, I can’t ever be _______ like her.

Comparatitus.

Comparing ourselves to an ideal… to another sister who seems to have it all together, who seems to always get the right stuff, say the right things, have the right friends, yada, yada, yada.  It’s such a dangerous spiral to get caught up in that thinking and in that talk.

Truth is, we’re not to compare ourselves to others — God didn’t create us to be someone else — He created us to be ourselves growing in grace to be like Jesus — for His glory.  When we compare and despair, we are rejecting God’s marvelous design *and* His provision for us.  When we compare and despair, we invite the enemy in to mock God (and our thoughts and actions determine how long he’ll stay and how much ground we’ll give the enemy).  We gasp and think, O, I didn’t mean to do that!  Really, none of us want to be found in that camp — surely.  That’s why we must not covet — we must be content with such things as we have. (Hebrews 13.5)

Comparatitus is dangerous… and unless we determine daily to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, we’ll succumb to it.  Maybe in a big way.

Titus 2 tells us boldly and plainly what we are (as Christian sisters) to do or to learn to do.  But, above all, we must be about the business of daily yielding our hearts to God, daily following Him and trusting in the promises of His Word — not comparing ourselves to others — but simply living in obedience to Him and His calling on our lives.  And He has individually called us — each one!  This is good news!  This is marvelous!

The cure for comparatitus is faith and trust: seeking to know and please the Lord.  We read in 2Timothy 2.15  “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Be done with that lesser thing!  Be done with comparatitus. (And, have a cheerful day)

May you always be blessed.